Woman Student Found Slain After Campus Function

A 23-year-old Saddleback College student was found slain next to her car in a campus parking lot Saturday night, apparently stabbed to death shortly after she left a jazz concert and reception.

Robbin Brandley, a communication and fine arts major from Laguna Beach, had worked as an usher for the KSBR-sponsored Liz Story piano concert and attended a subsequent punch-and-cake reception for radio station staff and faculty until about 10:30 p.m., according to faculty members.

Multiple Stab Wounds

Her fully clothed body was found half an hour later in a small parking lot adjacent to the campus perimeter road. She had suffered multiple stab wounds to the upper torso, but there were no signs of a struggle and no immediate evidence of a sexual assault or robbery, said Lt. Bill Miller of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

About 400 people attended the sold-out concert at the Doyle G. McKinney Theatre, just up the hill from where the attack occurred. The concert ended at 10 p.m., and about 50 people attended the reception, said Lynn Gamwell, director of the campus art gallery.

The attack was the second in less than a year at the Mission Viejo campus. In April, a 25-year-old student was abducted from another campus parking lot in a Volkswagen van by two men who beat her over the head, stripped her, then dumped her naked about six hours later on a freeway off-ramp.

Patrolled Around Clock

The campus is patrolled 24 hours a day by security officers. Although only two officers are on duty at night, volunteer male students are available to escort female students from classes to the parking lots after dark, college officials said.

But Harriett S. Walther, president of the Saddleback Community College District board of trustees, said Sunday she is not certain whether the escorts are available on weekends.

“Students are encouraged during regular class nights to avail themselves of the service,” Walther said. “Certainly, if there’s any recommendation forthcoming, either from the sheriff or from our own security people . . . that we do anything additional, we would certainly consider that. We’re extremely concerned about the safety and welfare of not only our students, but our visitors.

‘We’re All Horrified’

“We’re all horrified,” Walther added, “and most concerned not only about the terrible thing that happened. Her family and friends we know are going through a very painful time, and we’d like to offer any assistance to her family if we could and to console them in any way we can.”

College President Constance Carroll said the school “will extend every assistance to the student’s family during this very difficult period for them. We also pledge our full assistance to the Sheriff’s Department in the course of their investigation.

Brandley, a former disc jockey at KSBR who was interested in radio and television production, was expecting to finish at Saddleback College this semester and planned to attend San Francisco State University to pursue a career in her field, said Robert Cohen, chairman of the college’s fine arts and communication department.

‘Terrific Potential’

“She was interested in radio, television and film. She liked to produce shows and get in front of the camera. She had terrific potential,” Cohen said. “She worked well with people. She was a perfectionist and did not leave any ends unturned. . . . She had the respect and admiration of everybody. She was the least likely person to have any enemies.”

On Sunday, campus officials expressed worries over the effect the attack would have on future campus activities.

“We are making an effort to build up the performing arts program. Now people may think it’s not safe to come onto campus for events,” said Gregory J. Bishopp, dean of the fine arts and communications divisions.

“The college has a reputation for being an extremely secure place. The surrounding community of Mission Viejo is very calm and peaceful. We don’t experience violent crimes you would expect in other areas,” Bishopp said.

Brings Dog on Weekends

Gamwell said she brings her dog with her whenever she has to come on campus over the weekend “because I don’t like to be here alone.” Now, she said, “People will wonder about the safety late at night. We have a lot of night events here at odd hours.”

Karl Desmarais, 21, an engineering major, was jogging on campus Sunday morning while police continued their investigation. “I guess the security here is not good enough,” he said. “It (crime) is starting to get closer to home. It’s starting to migrate down from L.A. . . . This is not the kind of neighborhood this usually happens in.”

About 30 people from a sheriff’s search and rescue team, aided by dogs and a helicopter, searched the parking lot and a wooded ravine behind it for more than four hours Sunday morning for clues. After the search ended about 11:30 a.m., firefighters cut out a section of curb near Brandley’s brown Chevrolet as evidence. The section bore possible bloodstains.

No weapon was found, Miller said. Sheriff’s Lt. Tom Connor said sheriff’s officials presently have no motive and no suspects. Autopsy results were pending.